Every freezer gets a score from 0 to 100% built from five factors, which maps onto the 5-point rating shown on the site (a 0% score would be 1.5 stars; a perfect score, 5). Each factor is scored against fixed reference points, not against the other products in the list, so adding a new model never moves another model’s rating. Freezers are grouped by size, small, medium and large, and each group has its own price and energy scales.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per cubic foot | 30% |
| Efficiency | rated energy use per cubic foot | 25% |
| Garage | coldest room it's rated to run in | 15% |
| Warranty | full warranty and sealed system warranty | 15% |
| Features | temperature alarm, defrost drain, lock and baskets | 15% |
Where the numbers come from
Capacity, room temperature range, warranty and features come from the maker’s product page, spec sheet or manual, or the maker’s own copy on its Amazon listing. Rated energy use comes from the yellow Energy Guide label, the ENERGY STAR product finder or the Department of Energy’s certification database. Prices are checked at Amazon, the maker’s own store and big appliance retailers, and the lowest is used.
The factors
Value is the current price divided by the capacity in cubic feet, on a log scale for each size, so going from $40 to $20 per cubic foot counts as much as going from $80 to $40.
| Size | Scores 0 | Full marks |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 7 cu ft) | $90 per cu ft | $40 per cu ft |
| Medium (7 to 15 cu ft) | $80 per cu ft | $35 per cu ft |
| Large (15 cu ft and up) | $75 per cu ft | $30 per cu ft |
Efficiency is the rated annual energy use divided by the capacity. Small freezers have more surface for their volume and always use more per cubic foot, so each size has its own scale.
| Size | Scores 0 | Full marks |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 60 kWh a year per cu ft | 35 kWh a year per cu ft |
| Medium | 35 kWh a year per cu ft | 20 kWh a year per cu ft |
| Large | 25 kWh a year per cu ft | 15 kWh a year per cu ft |
Garage is the coldest room the maker rates the freezer to run in: 55 °F scores zero and 0 °F full marks. A freezer the maker calls garage ready without giving a range gets 80%, and one the maker says isn’t for unheated spaces gets 20%.
Warranty is half the full parts and labor warranty, 1 year (zero) to 3 years (full), and half the warranty on the compressor and sealed system, 1 year (zero) to 10 years (full). When no separate sealed system warranty is given, the full warranty stands in for it.
Features are a high temperature alarm or warning light (30%), a defrost drain (25%), a key lock (20%) and baskets (25%, full marks for two or more). A feature the maker doesn’t mention either way gets half its share.
What isn’t scored
Noise, dimensions, weight, frost-free defrost, converting to fridge temperatures and looks are listed but not scored. Fit matters most: measure the space and the doorways on the way in, and check that the room stays within the freezer’s rated temperature range before comparing scores. Independent tests are listed where they exist, but there are too few to score.
Missing data
If a figure isn’t published, that factor gets the neutral middle score (50) and the product page marks it as estimated.
Ties and discontinued models
Products are ranked by score within each group. Discontinued models stay listed but rank below every current model and can be hidden with the “Hide discontinued” filter.